The invention relates to hinges in general, and more particularly to improvements in hinges which can be used to pivotally connect pairs of covers, lids or like parts. Still more particularly, the invention relates to hinges which can be used with advantage in certain types of machines for making hot beverages such as coffee, tea and chocolate. The invention will be described primarily with reference to coffee makers; however, it is to be understood that the novel hinge can be used with equal or similar advantage in machines for brewing tea, hot chocolate and/or other hot beverages.
A coffee maker normally comprises a housing which supports a receptacle for fresh water and a filter holder which can receive a metered quantity of comminuted coffee beans. An electric heater in the housing heats fresh water which is caused to issue from the receptacle, and heated water flows in a riser on its way into contact with the flavoring agent in the filter holder. Freshly brewed coffee leaves the filter holder and gathers in a coffee pot or another suitable vessel beneath the filter holder. The housing further confines various electrical and electronic components of the circuitry for the water heater and, if desired, for a device which heats the bottom wall of the coffee pot.
In many coffee makers, the open top of the receptacle is normally closed by two covers each of which is pivotally mounted on the receptacle so that it can assume a first or closed position in which it overlies the adjacent portion of the receptacle, and a second or open position in which it exposes the adjacent part of the receptacle, for example, to permit inflow of a fresh or additional supply of water, to afford access to the filter in the filter holder, to afford access to the topmost portion of the riser and/or to permit observation of the quantity of water in the receptacle.
The hinges for covers in such machines are invariably designed in such a way that they project, at least in part, above the upper sides of the covers in the first or closed positions of the covers. This detracts from the appearance of the machine. Moreover, presently known hinges which are designed to permit pivoting of each cover through an angle of approximately 180.degree. are rather bulky, complex and expensive. In addition, assembly of such hinges with the covers is a time-consuming operation.